Occupational Therapy Assistants Salary
Occupational Therapy Assistants in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN make a median of $60,940 a year, or about $29.3 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $72K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.77), which stretches that salary to about $66,405 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,166/month, or 29.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $61K get you in La Crosse-Onalaska?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by La Crosse-Onalaska’s Regional Price Parity (91.77). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About occupational therapy assistants
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What this looks like in La Crosse-Onalaska
Pay for occupational therapy assistants in La Crosse-Onalaska runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $72K. Rent runs $1,166/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.77 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for occupational therapy assistants in metros near La Crosse-Onalaska, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $62K | $64K |
| Madison | $55K | $56K |
| Green Bay | $57K | $62K |
| Appleton | $58K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
Entry-level occupational therapy assistants (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $72K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Occupational Therapy Assistants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Occupational Therapy Assistants salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $82K | +13% | 710 |
| California | $82K | +13% | 3,840 |
| Texas | $82K | +13% | 5,610 |
| Nevada | $80K | +10% | 220 |
| Arkansas | $79K | +9% | 730 |
| Delaware | $79K | +9% | 220 |
| Washington | $78K | +7% | 720 |
| New Mexico | $77K | +7% | 300 |
| Oregon | $77K | +6% | 250 |
| Georgia | $76K | +5% | 1,060 |
| Colorado | $75K | +4% | 710 |
| Massachusetts | $75K | +4% | 1,410 |
| New Jersey | $75K | +4% | 1,080 |
| Virginia | $75K | +4% | 1,130 |
| South Carolina | $74K | +2% | 830 |
| Arizona | $73K | +2% | 1,120 |
| Montana | $73K | +1% | 60 |
| Connecticut | $73K | +1% | 820 |
| Hawaii | $73K | +1% | 60 |
| Florida | $72K | -1% | 3,910 |
| Pennsylvania | $72K | -1% | 2,560 |
| North Carolina | $69K | -4% | 1,590 |
| New York | $69K | -5% | 2,230 |
| New Hampshire | $68K | -6% | 150 |
| Rhode Island | $67K | -8% | 300 |
| Indiana | $67K | -8% | 1,490 |
| Oklahoma | $67K | -8% | 1,000 |
| District of Columbia | $66K | -8% | 60 |
| Louisiana | $66K | -9% | 760 |
| Utah | $66K | -9% | 280 |
| Missouri | $66K | -9% | 1,470 |
| Idaho | $65K | -10% | 210 |
| Kentucky | $65K | -10% | 500 |
| Kansas | $65K | -10% | 660 |
| Minnesota | $65K | -10% | 540 |
| Maine | $64K | -11% | 250 |
| Iowa | $64K | -11% | 400 |
| Illinois | $64K | -11% | 2,470 |
| Michigan | $63K | -13% | 1,250 |
| Nebraska | $63K | -13% | 210 |
| Wyoming | $63K | -13% | 80 |
| Ohio | $63K | -13% | 3,890 |
| Tennessee | $62K | -14% | 1,300 |
| Alabama | $62K | -14% | 750 |
| Mississippi | $62K | -15% | 420 |
| North Dakota | $61K | -16% | 130 |
| West Virginia | $60K | -17% | 340 |
| Wisconsin | $60K | -17% | 1,050 |
| South Dakota | $56K | -22% | 100 |
| Alaska | $54K | -26% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track occupational therapy assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when La Crosse-Onalaska numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a occupational therapy assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in La Crosse-Onalaska?
Yes — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 28.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,166/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for occupational therapy assistants in La Crosse-Onalaska?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational therapy assistants typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,713/month. At HUD’s $1,166/month FMR, rent would take 43% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is occupational therapy assistant a high-paying job in La Crosse-Onalaska?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $61K here vs. $72K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does La Crosse-Onalaska compare to the national average for occupational therapy assistants?
La Crosse-Onalaska pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — below the national median.
How much do occupational therapy assistants make in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN?
The median is $60,940 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,210, and experienced occupational therapy assistants can clear $71,760. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in La Crosse-Onalaska?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,068/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,166/month, which eats 28.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a occupational therapy assistants salary go in La Crosse-Onalaska?
La Crosse-Onalaska has a Regional Price Parity of 91.77 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median occupational therapy assistants salary is worth about $66,405 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do occupational therapy assistants get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.